Relay with tandem armature means



Nov. 23, 1965 J. KELLEY ETAL 3,219,780

RELAY WITH TANDEM ARMATURE MEANS Filed March 25, 1963 I NVENTORS 34 JE /Pk) 5445 mm United States Patent RELAY WITH TANDEM ARMATURE MEANS Jerry Kelley, Chicago, and Eugene M. Miller, Crystal Lake, 11]., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments,

to Radon Corporation, a corporation of Illinois, and

Donald .F. Moloney & Associates Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,407 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-103) This invention concerns electromagnetic relays and has as its principal object the provision of an auxiliary or ancillary relay means forming part of a principal relay with an ancillary armature means cooperable with the principal armature in such a way that when the latter is attracted by energization of the electromagnet the ancillary armature is likewise attracted and moved independently of its motion with the principal armature and operates its own relay switching means until such time as the electromagnet becomes deenergized, the principal relay being of a character such that for one reason or another the principal armature will remain temporarily in attracted or operated condition after its electromagnet has been deenergized, as for example, in the case of the so-called interlocking or latching relays which have a mechanical latching means automatically operative for such purposes and intended to be released either manually or by a separate latch-release coil.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tandem relay device of the class described characterized by the provision of tandem armatures, one of which is carried by the other, and both being arranged to be attracted simultaneously by a single operating coil and respectively actuating separate switch means in a particular arrangement which permits the tandem or ancillary armature to be freed for restoration to a normal condition independently of movement of the principal armature from its attracted or operated condition when the single operating coil is deenergized.

Additional objects and aspects of novelty and utility relate to details of the construction and operation of the illustrative embodiments described hereafter in view of the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a latching type relay embodying the ancillary or tandem relay structures;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail of the operating coil and armature parts of the device, as viewed along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the ancillary armatures shown to enlarged scale; and FIG. 3A is an elevation thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the wafer spring used with the armature of FIG. 3; I

FIG. 4A is a side view of the wafer spring of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective fragment of a modified form of form of auxiliary or ancillary armature and switch means employed in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

The invention is illustrated in conjunction with a wellknown form of interlock relay having an armature of the clapper or rocking type such as is depicted in FIG. 1, wherein the armature rocks on a portion 12 of a frame piece 11 and is normally elevated to idle position by spring means 14.

Loosely fitted at the free end of the armature is -a switch-actuating water or plate 15 of insulating material 3,219,780 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 having slots to receive a pair of curved lugs 16 formed at the end of the armature by means of which the wafer is captured thereon but allowed some freedom of movement to rock slightly on the armature.

The wafer or plate 15 also has a hook-like latching arm 18 at its lower margin which passes freely beneath the frame piece with clearance between the latter and itself to permit introduction of the latching offset or tongue 19 on a latching armature 20 associated with a latch release coil 21 secured to the underside of the frame.

Switch means in the form of a stack switch 25 is mounted on the extended part of the frame 11 and may have numbers of contact blades including some, the end portions 26 of which extend through a narrow slot in the operating plate 15 to be flexed by the latter responsive to rocking of the armature 10 into attracted or operated position as by energization of the electromagnet 13.

The construction thus far described is substantially that of the latching type relay disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,932,705 to Nicolaus, the operation of which is such that if the coil 13 is energized at a time when the armature 10 is urged by spring means 14 into its normally idle or elevated condition, the armature will be attracted downwardly and the latching tongue or dog 19 on the armature of the latching coil will automatically enter into blocking position above the hook-like latching arm 18 on the wafer 15 with the result that when the energization of electromagnet coil 13 ceases the armature 10 will remain locked in attracted or lowered condition until such time as the latch release coil 21 may be energized to attract the latching armature 20 and effect withdrawal of said latching tongue or dog from behind the hook 18, thereby freeing the armature 10 for spring-urged return to its normal, elevated condition.

The ancillary relay means constituting the subject matter of the present disclosure is illustrated in its simplest form in FIG. 5 wherein only the coil 13X and a modified form of its armature 10X of the relay of FIG. 1 are depicted, the same being understood to be interchangeable with their counterparts in FIG. 1.

Mounted by screw means 30 on the top of the armature 10X is a small leaf or stack switch 32 having a pair of normally closed spring blade contacts 33, 34 projecting in a manner to overlie the split face of the pole core 13AX of the electromagnet 13X, as viewed in FIG. 6.

Secured, as by riveting, to the underside of the switch blade 34, which is most proximate to the armature, is a very small secondary or ancillary armature in the form (FIG. 7 also) of a magnetically-attractable slug 36 dimensioned and disposed at 36A to overlie one split pole face 38 of the pole core 13AX, the armature 10X having a formation, for instance a hole 40, formed in alignment with this split pole face and the secondary armature piece 36A so that the latter will be exposed principally to the attractive flux of only one of the split pole faces when the coil 13X is energized, whereby to move the switch blade 34 downwardly into open-circuit relation with its companion blade 33.

The armature 10X and its blade-type secondary or ancil lary relay switch means may be substituted for the armature 10 in the form of relay shown in FIG. 1, and the operation will then be such that when the coil 13 is energized the armature 10X will be attracted and automatically latched by the latching armature, as previously explained in the case of the armature 10; and at the same time the ancillary or auxiliary armature 36 will also be attracted and switch 32 will be opened so long as the electromagnetic coil 13 (or its counterpart 13X) remains energized; but as soon as this electromagnet is deenergized the auxi liary armature will be freed to return to normally elevated condition by spring action, in this instance, of the appertaining switch blade 34, thereby again closing the switch means 32, while the main armature 10 (or its counterpart 10X) will remain latched down (until the release coil 21 is energized) to hold the main relay switching means 25 in operated condition.

The blade switch form of ancillary relay disclosed in FIGS. and 6 is suitable for many applications; but in cases where the apparatus may be exposed to excessive vibration or jarring, some circuit arrangements to be controlled thereby might be such as to make undesirable the possibility that such jarring could cause a momentary opening of the contacts of switch 32 due to inertial effects from the mass of the ancillary armature slug while the main armature rests in either normal or latched condition; and While the stiffness of the switch blade 34 and the mass of the auxiliary armature piece 36 may be contrived in many cases to prevent such inertial reaction and false operation owing to jarring, etc., certain critical applications may require a relatively less sensitive ancillary switch action, in which case the modified form of the device shown in conjunction with the armature of FIG. 1 may be used.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the modified ancillary relay means comprises a non-magnetic seating means or receptacle in the preferred form of a cup-shaped member 50 formed from a non-conductive and non-magnetic material of the class of nylon, or the like insulative and moldable material, having, as seen in FIG. 2, an upstanding annular wall portion 51 and a lower reduced shoulder portion 52 adapted to be force-fitted, and cemented if desired, in an opening provided in the armature 10, this shoulder formation affording a narrow annular seating ledge 53 on the lower inner bottom of the cup member.

Seated upon the annular ledge 53 is a thin annular spring 54 of the general configuration shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A and having a central opening 54A of a diameter to fit freely about the magnetically-attractable pole face 55A of a circular armature plate 55 (FIG. 3) fitting freely into the well of the cup member 50 on top of said spring and retained therein by contact means disposed on and about the inner wall of the cup, this contact means in the illustrative embodiment taking the form of conductive pins 58 force-fitted through openings in said cup wall with outer portions exposed for connection to conductors and their respective head portions 58A constituting contact elements preferably flattened on their bottom margins for good contact with the upper face of the ancillary armature disc. The heads 58A may be of suitable contact alloy and the upper face of the armature disc may be a cooper or other highly conductive material or special contact alloy sweated onto, or otherwise attached to, the ferromagnetic body of said armature piece.

The stationary contact means 58 may take other forms suitable for contacting coaction with the armature disc 55 depending upon the switching requirements.

The illustrative relay structures shown for both embodiments of the invention are of a type intended for alternating-current operation and the respective magnet cores or poles 13AX are split at their upper polar ends and fitted with the usual phase-splitting copper rings 39 to cause one of the split pole faces to be effective during the reverse alternating phase of each cycle to maintain the field and hold the principal relay armature sufficiently to prevent chattering. Accordingly, the ancillary armature 36 is of a size and is so positioned as to be magnetically influenced mainly by only one of the two split pole faces so that these small armature members will likewise not be subject to the vibratory or chattering effects peculiar to the alternating field flux. In the case of electromagnets intended for direct-current use the split pole faces and shading rings and corresponding location of the ancillary armature 36 are not required.

The improved relay means is useful in a variety of control circuits in which it is desired to automatically but temporarily disable or effectuate some collateral circuit simultaneously with the actuation and locking up of the switch means of the main or principal relay with automatic restoration of the collateral circuit when the operating impulse to the main relay coil ceases.

For example, in one application of the device, the main relay switches control the reversing of a motor (not shown) driving a reversible sound-tape capstan, and the ancillary relay means is connected to disable an amplifier or its loud speaker during the interval in which the reversing operation takes place in order that an objectionable wow or rumble from the loudspeaker may be suppressed during the relatively and variably long intervals necessary for the capstan and tape reels to stop, reverse, and come up to proper speed again in the opposite direction of travel. In such an application, restoration of the ancillary switch means to normal condition after the reversing pulse to the main relay coil ceases, will restore the audio circuit to service and the objectionable sound effects otherwise attendant upon such tape-reversing operation are eliminated without the use of special separately wired and actuated muting relays.

The ancillary relay action may also be used in conjunction with ordinary relays of the non-latching type, particularly direct-current relays, where the coil and armature means of the main relay is required to be marginal. In such cases the magnitude of the sub-marginal field of the electromagnet may be made suificient to attract the ancillary armature although it is insufficient to attract the main armature.

The embodiments of the invention particularly described in detail for illustrative purposes are not limiting and all changes in form within the scope of the annexed claims are contemplated.

We claim:

1. In a relay, an electromagnet having at least one working pole; two armature members mounted for movement in tandem in a direction one behind the other from a normal position toward said pole; that one of the armatures closest to said pole having a flux passage therethrough in magnetic juxtaposition with said pole; and means for supporting the other armature on the said closest armature comprising a non-magnetic member fixed in position on the latter in alignment with said passage and pole and also having a flux passage therethrough aligned with said first-mentioned passage; means retaining said other armature in movable engagement with said nonmagnetic member for movement toward and away from said pole under magnetic influence of the latter; spring means acting on said armatures and urging the same into respectively normal positions in a direction away from said pole; and relay contact means controlled by both said armatures.

2. A relay having tandem armatures mounted for movement one behind the other in a direction along an axis of attraction by a flux source; an electromagnet having a working pole aligned with said axis and armatures and constituting a flux source for attracting the same as aforesaid; spring means normally urging said armatures to respectively normal positions away from said pole; a first one of said armatures which is proximal to the pole in the direction of attracted movement thereof supporting the remaining distal armature therewith for armature movment independently of movement of the proximal armature; and means for supporting the distal armature as aforesaid and comprising a magnetically inert receptacle fixed in position on the proximal armature in axial alignment with said pole and containing the distal armature with freedom of movement of the latter in the general direction of said axis, said proximal armature having an area of reduced magnetic permeability along said axis in alignment with the distal armature and approximating in magnitude the area of the distal armature exposed to said flux; and circuit control means controlled by both armatures.

3. A relay according to claim 2 in which said receptacle has a cup-like cavity aligned with said area of reduced permability, and said distal armature is a magnetic disc loosely captured in said cavity with freedom of movement as set forth.

4. A relay according to claim 2 in which the control means controlled by the distal armature includes contact means carried by said receptacle.

5. A relay according to claim 2 further characterized in that the spring means acting on the distal armature is wholly contained in said cavity.

6. In a relay, a principal armature and an operating coil energizable to actuate the same, ancillary relay means comprising an ancillary armature means positioned on said principal armature in a position relative to said coil to be attracted by the field thereof responsive to energization of such coil concurrently with attraction by said field of the principal armature in operation as aforesaid, and an ancillary switch means actuated by movements of said ancillary armature, said ancillary armature being a magnetically-attractable disc-like member carried in a non-magnetic 20 and insulative cup-like seat secured to the principal armature in a position juxtaposed to a polar part of said coil to be attracted by the flux therefrom concurrently with attraction of the principal armature thereby, said disc-like member being spring-urged to a normal position away from said polar part of the coil when the latter is nonenergized, and said seat being provided with contact means operatively engaged in circuit controlling action by movements of the ancillary armature under influence of the field aforesaid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,552 7/1911 Rugh 200-91 1,271,924 7/1918 Miller 20091 2,510,604 6/1950 Pfatf et al ZOO-98 FOREIGN PATENTS 913,317 12/ 1962 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A RELAY, AN ELECTROMAGNET HAVING AT LEAST ONE WORKING POLE; TWO ARMATURE MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN TANDEM IN A DIRECTION ONE BEHIND THE OTHER FROM A NORMAL POSITION TOWARD SAID POLE; THAT ONE OF THE ARMATURES CLOSEST TO SAID POLE HAVING A FLUX PASSAGE THERETHROUGH IN MAGNETIC JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID POLE; AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE OTHER ARMATURE ON THE SAID CLOSEST ARMATURE COMPRISING A NON-MAGNETIC MEMBER FIXED IN POSITION ON THE LATTER IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID PASSAGE AND POLE AND ALSO HAVING A FLUX PASSAGE THERETHROUGH ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PASSAGE; MEANS RETAINING SAID OTHER ARMATURE IN MOVABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID NONMAGNETIC MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID POLE UNDER MAGNETIC INFLUENCE OF THE LATTER; SPRING MEANS ACTING ON SAID ARMATURES AND URGING THE SAME INTO RESPECTIVELY NORMAL POSITIONS IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID POLE; AND RELAY CONTACT MEANS CONTROLLED BY BOTH SAID ARMATURES. 